CURSES_ATTRIBUTES(3) | Library Functions Manual | CURSES_ATTRIBUTES(3)

# NAME

curses_attributes, attron, attroff, attrset, color_set, getattrs, termattrs, wattron, wattroff, wattrset, wcolor_set, attr_on, attr_off, attr_set, attr_get, term_attrs, wattr_on, wattr_off, wattr_set, wattr_get — curses general attribute manipulation routines

# LIBRARY

Curses Library (libcurses, -lcurses)

# SYNOPSIS

#include <curses.h>

int
attron(int attr);

int
attroff(int attr);

int
attrset(int attr);

int
color_set(short pair, void *opt);

chtype
getattrs(WINDOW *win);

chtype
termattrs(void);

int
wcolor_set(WINDOW *win, short pair, void *opt);

int
wattron(WINDOW * win, int attr);

int
wattroff(WINDOW * win, int attr);

int
wattrset(WINDOW * win, int attr);

int
attr_on(attr_t attr, void *opt);

int
attr_off(attr_t attr, void *opt);

int
attr_set(attr_t attr, short pair, void *opt);

int
attr_get(attr_t *attr, short *pair, void *opt);

attr_t
term_attrs(void);

int
wattr_on(WINDOW *win, attr_t attr, void *opt);

int
wattr_off(WINDOW *win, attr_t attr, void *opt);

int
wattr_set(WINDOW *win, attr_t attr, short pair, void *opt);

int
wattr_get(WINDOW *win, attr_t *attr, short *pair, void *opt);

# DESCRIPTION

These functions manipulate attributes on stdscr or on the specified window. The attributes that can be manipulated are:

A_NORMAL
  no special attributes are applied
A_STANDOUT
  characters are displayed in standout mode
A_UNDERLINE
  characters are displayed underlined
A_REVERSE
  characters are displayed in inverse video
A_BLINK
  characters blink
A_DIM
  characters are displayed at a lower intensity
A_BOLD
  characters are displayed at a higher intensity
A_INVIS
  characters are added invisibly
A_PROTECT
  characters are protected from modification
A_ALTCHARSET
  characters are displayed using the alternate character set (ACS)
COLOR_PAIR(n)
  characters are displayed using color pair n.

The attron() function turns on the attributes specified in attr on stdscr, while the attroff() function turns off the attributes specified in attr on stdscr.

The function attrset() sets the attributes of stdscr to those specified in attr, turning off any others. To turn off all the attributes (including color and alternate character set), use attrset(A_NORMAL).

Multiple attributes can be manipulated by combining the attributes using a logical OR. For example, attron(A_REVERSE | A_BOLD) will turn on both inverse video and higher intensity.

The function color_set() sets the color pair attribute to the pair specified in pair.

The function getattrs() returns the attributes that are currently applied to window specified by win.

The function termattrs() returns the logical OR of attributes that can be applied to the screen.

The functions wattron(), wattroff(), wattrset(), and wcolor_set() are equivalent to attron(), attroff() attrset(), and color_set() respectively, excepting that the attributes are applied to the window specified by win.

The following functions additionally manipulate wide attributes on stdscr or on the specified window. The additional wide attributes that can be manipulated are:

WA_STANDOUT
  characters are displayed in standout mode
WA_UNDERLINE
  characters are displayed underlined
WA_REVERSE
  characters are displayed in inverse video
WA_BLINK
  characters blink
WA_DIM
  characters are displayed at a lower intensity
WA_BOLD
  characters are displayed at a higher intensity
WA_INVIS
  characters are added invisibly
WA_PROTECT
  characters are protected from modification
WA_ALTCHARSET
  characters are displayed using the alternate character set (ACS)
WA_LOW
  characters are displayed with low highlight
WA_TOP
  characters are displayed with top highlight
WA_HORIZONTAL
  characters are displayed with horizontal highlight
WA_VERTICAL
  characters are displayed with vertical highlight
WA_LEFT
  characters are displayed with left highlight
WA_RIGHT
  characters are displayed with right highlight

The attr_on() function turns on the wide attributes specified in attr on stdscr, while the attr_off() function turns off the wide attributes specified in attr on stdscr.

The function attr_set() sets the wide attributes of stdscr to those specified in attr and pair, turning off any others. Note that a color pair specified in pair will override any color pair specified in attr.

The function attr_get() sets attr to the wide attributes and pair to the color pair currently applied to stdscr. Either of attr and pair can be NULL, if the relevant value is of no interest.

The function term_attrs() returns the logical OR of wide attributes that can be applied to the screen.

The functions wattr_on(), wattr_off() and wattr_set() are equivalent to attr_on(), attr_off() and attr_set() respectively, excepting that the character is added to the window specified by win.

The function wattr_get() is equivalent to attr_get(), excepting that the wide attributes and color pair currently applied to win are set.

The following constants can be used to extract the components of a chtype:

A_ATTRIBUTES
  bit-mask containing attributes part
A_CHARTEXT
  bit-mask containing character part
A_COLOR
  bit-mask containing color-pair part

# RETURN VALUES

These functions return OK on success and ERR on failure.

# SEE ALSO

curses_addch(3), curses_addchstr(3), curses_addstr(3), curses_background(3), curses_color(3), curses_insertch(3), curses_standout(3), curses_underscore(3)

# NOTES

The opt argument is not currently used but is reserved for a future version of the specification.

# STANDARDS

The NetBSD Curses library complies with the X/Open Curses specification, part of the Single Unix Specification.

The getattrs() function is a NetBSD extension.

# HISTORY

These functions first appeared in NetBSD 1.5.

# BUGS

Some terminals do not support characters with both color and other attributes set. In this case, the other attribute is displayed instead of the color attribute.

March 14, 2008 | NetBSD 7.2